DENVER (AP) — Denver police were searching for evidence as they investigated the fatal shooting of a policewoman on Sunday at a city park where families had gathered for a free weekly jazz concert.
Police arrested a man and charged him with gun possession, but they don’t believe he’s the shooter.
At least three shots were fired Sunday shortly after the jazz band playing on a lake-side pavilion stage finished.
The park remained closed Monday while police searched for more evidence.
At least three shots were fired shortly after the jazz band playing on a lakeside pavilion stage finished, sending waves of people running through park grounds. Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said the officer was shot in the head and died at a hospital.
She was a single mother who had been with the department since 2005.
More than 1,000 people were at the City Park Jazz concert, the fourth of 10 shows scheduled for this summer in the annual series that draws families and people of all backgrounds to one of the city’s more popular summer events. Mayor Michael Hancock said late Sunday that the concerts should continue.
“We will not surrender what we consider special in this city to anyone,” Mr. Hancock said.
Nakira Doss, a jazz singer herself, said she hopes the series continues. The 28-year-old mother was at the show Sunday and sitting near the stage with her children, ages 4, 5 and 7, when she heard at least two shots. As people ran past, she said told her children to “get on the ground” and then she lay over them.
“I’m trying to show them music, but at what cost,” she said, nodding toward her own children.
City Park is one Denver’s most famous and sprawls across several hundred acres east of downtown. It holds the Denver Zoo and Museum of Nature and Science, as well as ponds, trails and recreational fields.
After shots rang out, scores of people ran from the northwest side of the pond and stage area, confusing crowds on the south side of the pond who were still lingering over conversation and picnics in lawn chairs and blankets. Someone announced from a loudspeaker onstage that the park was closed and told park goers to leave from the south side.
Samuel Bell, 19, of Denver said he was in the parking lot looking for a space for his scooter, which police later cordoned off with yellow tape. He said he heard several shots.
“We just arrived at the park. It was crowded; it was looking fun,” Mr. Bell said. “And then ’pa-pa-pa-pa’ out of nowhere.
“We just ducked,” Mr. Bell said. “We pulled off in enough time to get away. It was crazy.”
He said he saw police officers administering CPR. He estimated he was about 10 to 20 feet away from where the officer was shot.
Associated Press writers Rema Rahman and Thomas Peipert contributed to this report.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.